Digital imaging media for multiple applications is in high demand. The advent of digital technology has allowed individuals to create digital images. These same individuals desire to produce color copies of these digital images. This desire has created a pent-up demand for small, low powered, and simple imaging devices. In order to reduce the complexity of the printing mechanisms for these devices, it is desirable to reduce the need for bulky cartridges or ribbons which place mechanical constraints on the printing mechanisms. Several different imaging technologies such as cell phones, cameras, and personal data assistants use digital media to store images. These technologies are small handheld devices and there is a need to provide a printing medium that produces high quality color images from them and also to provide for unique labeling of the digital medium.
Other digital media such optical discs have fast become an industry standard for data storage in the fields of computers, video, and music. Optical discs include, but are not limited to, compact discs (CDs), digital video (or versatile) discs (DVDs), and game system discs in a variety of formats. Commercially produced optical discs typically have digital data recorded on one side of the disc and a visual display, or a label printed or formed on the other side of the disc.
Some optical discs have been created that can store data on both sides of the disc. However, in many cases it is desirable to limit the optical disc data to a single side of the disc, leaving the other side of the disc for printed text, patterns, or graphics. The printed labeling on a non-data side of an optical disc can include images such as a decorative design, text identifying the data stored on the disc, or both.
As optical technology has advanced, writeable and re-writable optical discs, as well as equipment for writing data onto the discs, have become reasonably priced and within the grasp of ordinary consumers. Thus, many consumers currently have the ability to burn data onto optical discs with home or office computers that have optical disc drives. For example, consumers may, in some instances, purchase CD or DVD data from a website on the Internet and burn the data onto their own CD or DVD. Many such consumers also then desire the capacity to print or form a label on the other side of the disc as a professionally produced disc would have.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an imageable medium that allows for low cost printing from handheld devices as well as the labeling of the digital medium itself.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.